Virtual Evidence : Part-4

SciFi Story

by Zeashan Zaidi

The work began to weave this new city. Pipeline was being laid for water facilities. Most of the workers, worked day and night. They all belonged to the nearby countries.

Ashok settled down in an AC tent amidst the hot temperature. The place already seemed a city. A migrated lot of workers from nearby cities, group of workers from GloTecht, tents, vehicles, instruments and everything on the planet seemed right there.

Ashok indeed had a great plan of action. However he hardly managed himself with 52 degrees outside. His face flushed red whenever he went out of his tent for regular rounds.

Suddenly...

“What the hell! How dare you enter without my permission?” Ashok furiously shouted at a dark haired man with even darker skin, who rushed into room a few seconds ago and clashed with some wooden object.

“D sector, third block you need to rush. Workers are drowsing with some pungent smell. There is poisonous gas emitting from earth” The entrant elaborated.

“Oh god!”, Ashok ran towards the spot murmuring to himself. The worker followed.

“What are the casualties?” he inquired a senior executive, while draping a cloth around his mouth. The smell had taken a toll. He advised the others to do the same.

“Stay away everyone. Vacate the area right now. I don’t want any further casualties.”

“Sir, there are around 20 workers who are still unconscious. Moreover the leakage has not stopped yet. We cannot leave them to die.” A new voice angrily said.

Ashok look behind. A tall dark, Algerian might be, he thought in his head

“Do, As I Say.” Ashok cut that short staring right towards the worker.

“They are my friends and my responsibility is to take care of them. And may be the same goes to you. We work for your company and it is your responsibility to take care of us”, the Algerian burst out at Ashok.

“This is a very huge project; I can’t risk others for twenty men. We are not sure even if they still have pulse.” Ashok was panicking by that and it translated into his words. He was completely lost and it reflected. In normal days absolutely he would have bothered about 20 men but now he entered a maniac zone.

“Take care of whatever can be done but no more casualties. NO MORE CASUALTIES”, he left declaring.

*****

“We have maintained the atmospheric pressure which changed drastically. Carbon dioxide levels have also been checked. The hole has been taken care of where the gas was emitting. …but” A senior executive detailed the assessment of the work.

“Is there a problem Suri?”

“I don’t know sir, if we can afford losing 18 lives!” Executive hinted a pinch of sarcasm. He didn’t like it when Ashok shoved off the possible help that could have been provided.

“Only two of the twenty men could be saved. We didn’t have the gas masks and apt resources.”

“They could have been sa..”

“I think that would be all Suri.” Ashok killed the conversation.

“Make sure the work is in proper order.” He instructed.

And as per the instruction, the work speeded up again. But every speeding work is forced against a break.

And suddenly everything came to a halt.

The reason was disastrous even.

Housekeeping boy entered Ashok’s tent. He was habitual of bed tea. But the servant came out horrified.

To his astonishment, Ashok slept on the bed….rather laid on the bed…blood oozed everywhere.

Someone slaughtered his neck with a knife. Marks were clearly visible.

And the day’s event concised to the only issue.

WHO MURDERED THE PROJECT HEAD??

To Be continued...